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Can you remember a can of CARNATION Cooking Milk (previously known as CARNATION Evaporated Milk) in your grandparent’s pantry? Most of us can. If you asked your grandparents that question, they would probably also remember their grandparents using CARNATION – since CARNATION Evaporated Milk has been around since 1899!

In those days, refrigeration was in its infancy, and fresh milk wasn’t always available or even drinkable. CARNATION Sterilized Cream, as it was then known, was one of the first brands to embrace the new technology of milk evaporation, allowing the milk to be packaged in a can and sit safely on a shelf for long periods of time without spoiling. It was hugely popular.

Under the direction of company founder E.A. Stuart, the son of a farmer, CARNATION thrived. Stuart knew from his years on the farm, that the only way to ensure the highest quality milk was to keep the cow extra healthy. He distributed his own pure-bred bulls through his milk suppliers, creating a generation of more robust and better milk producing cows.

As home refrigeration grew in the 20th century, and fresh milk and cream could be stored safely for days, the demand for evaporated milk decreased accordingly.

It’s only recently, as the need for low fat alternatives to favourite meals has grown into a huge business, that this old staple is being rediscovered by a new generation who use Lite and Creamy CARNATION for its creamy texture, but low fat content.